Democrat Amy Kopf and Republican Jeff Darnell will face each other in a contested race for the office of Butler County Public Administrator. Kopf emphasized the results of the recent state audit while Darnell highlighted his years of experience in the position. Both candidates expressed a desire to serve their community and the citizens under their care.
Jeff Darnell
Age: 61
Spouse: Monda Darnell
Children: Craig (36) and Tyler (33)
Occupation: Public administrator
Education: Graduated from Neelyville
Current Affiliations: Public Administrators Association, Transportation Advisory Committee, Missouri Association of Realtors, member of the Palace of Praise.
Why are you running for this office?
I am seeking re-election because I am dedicated to county service and want to assist the courts in guardianships, conservatorships and estates.
What characteristics would make you a good candidate?
The characteristics I have are being honest, dependable, hard-working and finishing a task to completion. I am also patient and understanding to clients who struggle to comprehend their situation. Being an attentive listener and articulate are other aspects which qualifies me as the best candidate for the position. These skills are used daily due to the frequent contact I have with the court system and families of my clients. My conservative values and beliefs coincide with my desire to serve as the Butler County public administrator.
What do you hope to accomplish?
I hope to continue working with the courts to finish and complete the backlog (up to 10 previous years) of settlements. I also wish to assist my clients with safe and secure facilities.
In my first four years, our office went paperless, and we made the transition to e-filing court documents. This was achieved by hours of manual scanning the paper documents into the new online system.
After meeting with U.S. Rep. Jason Smith and U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, we hope to raise the Social Security allowance our clients receive monthly to an acceptable level. It is an amount which is currently mandated by Social Security.
I will also maintain my clients’ health and well-being by ensuring they receive medical/mental health care as needed.
Are there any recent outcomes of situations you have been involved with as PA that you agree or disagree with?
A particular area of disagreement is the closing of various health care facilities throughout the state which has caused my clients to be relocated. This created hardships due to the lack of adequate placement facilities in the state.
What do you see as the biggest challenges facing Butler County and how would you address them?
Drugs and mental health issues are community concerns/problems. We could use more mental health and addiction/drug use facilities to care for our community.
We address these issues by focusing on our clients receiving the treatment they need for all health issues. Our office concentrates on clear and constant communication with our mental health facilities and professionals throughout our community and state.
What is the most important part of the Public Administrator position the public may overlook?
It is a demanding job that is not a 9-5 position. It requires being on-call 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. I must be available at all times to receive calls from medical and treatment facilities throughout the state.
Another difficult aspect is helping the family cope with the loss of a loved one. It can be an emotional rollercoaster.
I would also like to add that I am grateful to God and my family for all the support which has been given to me.
Amy Kopf
Spouse: Donald Gilliam
Children: Timothy (23), Matthew (14), Jeffrey (9)
Occupation: Educator
Education: Grand Ledge High School Lansing Community College, Three Rivers Community College, Michigan State University, bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Northwestern University, doctorate in organic chemistry
Current affiliations: SEMO Shooters Trapshooting Team, Booster Club, member Cub Scout Pack 4060, Cubmaster chartered with Fellowship General Baptist Church, Scouting America Sioux District, STEM chair 4-H Butler County Extension Council Member, Black River Cemetery Association secretary/treasurer
Why are you running for this office?
Put simply, my goal is to make a positive impact on my community. I’ve done this professionally in my work as an educator for over 20 years. In my personal life, I volunteer with several local youth groups.
Now, I want to use those experiences toward the greater challenge of public service. The office of public administrator, which serves as the court-appointed guardian and conservator for minor, disabled, or incapacitated persons, will allow me to use my skills and knowledge while being a great fit for my personality and drive.
The community needs someone who cares about people and is willing to work with dedication and integrity.
What characteristics make you a good candidate?
I have high expectations of myself and others. I don’t do a job just to get it done; I do a job to get it done right.
What do you hope to accomplish?
I want to bring back the individual attention that the citizens of our community deserve.
I promise to visit the wards and care teams, while also addressing financial and timeliness issues in the Butler County public administrator office that were criticized in a recent state audit.
Are there any recent decisions of the PA that you disagree with?
Yes. I believe that the wards of our county are overbilled and underserved. In a recent audit by the Missouri State Auditor, numerous issues were found, including overbilling (for full report, see Report No. 2024-087 at auditor.mo.gov).
The auditor called for an immediate stop to the excessive and unreasonable fees being charged. When the current public administrator was asked for comment from the DAR, he blamed others and indicated he has no plans to amend the fee schedule or billing rate to address the overbilling issue.
In his four years as the public administrator, he hasn’t fixed the overbilling issue or outlined plans to do so in the future.
I will make fairness in fees and dedication to serving our county wards my top priorities.
What do you see as the biggest challenges facing Butler County and how would you address them?
Money. It’s the biggest challenge facing Butler County; particularly our families and small businesses. How do we do what we need to do with the resources we have?
I want to address funding issues for the office of the public administrator by aggressively investigating opportunities to bring in revenue through donations or grants without additional burden on the wards.
Moreover, I will monitor operations to identify ways that the work can be done more efficiently or effectively.
What is the most important part of the public administrator position the public may overlook?
The most overlooked part may be understanding the role of the public administrator. This office is charged with the guardianship and/or conservatorship for citizens in our community who are unable to fully care for themselves and have no support network to bridge that gap.
These folks are some of our most vulnerable citizens.
The public administrator needs to be part accountant, part social worker, part educator, and part business operator all while interacting with the courts, the public, local businesses, care givers, medical staff, and wards. The office needs someone with my responsiveness, integrity and dedication to service.
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